How to Become Fiore's Most Wanted
by KatStorm
Summary: Usually Natsu's destructiveness was something to be expected, but Lucy had finally had it. If Natsu wanted Lucy to go on missions with him again, he had to prove that he could complete a job, all by himself, without a single jewel to be payed for damages. What could possibly go wrong?
1. Step One Kick the Slayer Out of Magnolia

_Hello, Fail Tail fandom! __I guess it's time for me to finally put another of my crazy plots out there. I've been a part of this fandom for so long without a fanfic that I feel almost like this story's long overdue. XD Oh, well.  
_

_Welcome to How to Become Fiore's Most Wanted! I don't know why, but I could actually see this happening at some point during the actual series, if Hiro Mashima isn't already planning to stick it somewhere into his genius plot. I wouldn't put him past it. Also, this story takes place just before the Grand Magic Games, but after the Tenrou Arc. (After the Infinity Clock, if you're watching the anime.)_

_As cool and awesomely amazing as it would be to own Fairy Tail, I do not._

* * *

**Step One:**  
**Kick the Slayer Out of Magnolia**

Lucy grumbled to herself as she slumped over the bar, idling stirring the ice in her drink with the straw. The celestial spirit mage was dressed in a simple black skirt and pink T-shirt, a fresh slash ripping through one of the shoulders of the fabric. Then again, if she were to mention all of the damage done, she might as well include the singed toes of her boots, the raw patches on her knees, the multiple splinters she had to pull out of the back of one hand, and the odd bruises that ran the length of her left side. Oh, _and _the destruction of the entire southern half of Tully Village. The Council still hadn't forgiven Natsu for the last time he was there; that old clock tower had been all-too expensive to repair, or rather build from scratch.

Noticing the blonde's gloom, Mirajane paused in her daily routine of scrubbing the counter long enough to mosey over to where Lucy lounged about. "What's wrong, Lucy?" she asked politely.

"They went on another rampage during a job," the mage mumbled, head slumped on the bar. "We only made 100 jewel after the damages were counted up, and split five ways, there's no way I'll be able to make my rent payment in time. And to think Erza has to put up 200,000 jewel every month," she added with a shiver.

Mira smiled sadly. "Maybe next time?"

"But I have to pay in a week, and I've only saved up 20,000!" Lucy exploded.

"What if you took on a job by yourself? That way, there would be no way anything could get broken," suggested Mirajane, picking up the empty glass Cana slammed down on the counter at that moment.

"You're going out alone?" the card mage raised an eyebrow. "What about Team Natsu?"

"They got a little too rambunctious," said Mira.

"And now I've only a week to gather up 60,000 more jewels for my rent," Lucy moaned.

"Then just go. It's not that hard," Cana smirked. "You're pretty tough."

Lucy smiled softly at the mage, remembering when they had teamed up for the S-Class Trial on Tenrou. It was encouraging to know that her nakama wasn't just saying that to make her feel better, and had in fact seen what she could accomplish.

Mirajane refilled Cana's mug before passing it back to the woman, who grinned broadly and exclaimed, "Well, good luck!" and sauntered off, probably to challenge someone to a drinking contest. Lucy resisted the urge to sigh and shake her head.

"If you want, I could ask the Master if he has a job he thinks might suit you," offered Mira. "There's probably a few that hasn't been put up on the board yet that might interest you."

"Would you? Oh, thank you, Mira!" Lucy gushed. The spirit mage was beginning to feel better already. Who knew? If Mirajane managed to find the perfect job in time, Lucy might be able off her rent _and _have some extra money on the side!

With another smile and a nod, the Take Over mage slipped out from behind the counter and disappeared into the crowd to find Makarov.

"Luuuccyyyy!"

Lucy felt her joyful mood go straight down the drain as a certain dragon slayer popped into view. His grin was hard to miss, nor the look in his eye.

"I'm bored! Let's go out on another job!"

"So you can destroy another town? No way!"

"Aww, c'mon, Luce! It can be just the two of us! I don't mind ditching stripper over there, and Erza won't mind if we give her cake!" He flashed his canines and stared at her hopefully.

"You did most of the damage this time!" exclaimed Lucy indignantly, taking a sip of her ice water.

"Please, Luce?"

It was hard to resist that adorable pout of his, but Lucy took a deep breath. "No. Besides, Mira's already promised to ask the Master about a job that I could do on my own."

Natsu frowned. "You're going on a job by yourself?"

"Yes," Lucy deadpanned. "I _am _capable of taking care of myself, you know."

"I don't like the idea of you going off by yourself, Lucy. You could get hurt." Lucy felt tempted to point out that _all _of her current injuries were from her teammates' wreaking havoc, and not from lack of her own abilities. "I'm coming with you."

"No way! You'll only wreck the place like you always do!"

"Hey!"

"And you know what? It'll probably stay that way until I manage to gather up enough jewels to pay off my rent! Every time I go out with everyone, _someone _has to start a fight and all of our reward goes down the drain!" Lucy shot the dragon slayer a pointed look.

"We managed to get 100 jewels this time!" Natsu argued. "And it's usually ice pick who-"

"My rent's 80,000!" Lucy screamed, but none of the guild seemed to notice. They were all probably too busy brawling to notice. "Everyone here just does nothing but fight and get us into trouble lately! I don't wanna be homeless at the end of this month!"

"Then it can just be the two of us and Happy!"

"No! No one's coming with me this time, and least of all _you_, Natsu Dragneel," Lucy jabbed a finger in his face. "You're far too impulsive and destructive! How do I know you won't pick a fight with the first person you disagree with? I'm going alone!"

Natsu's gaze seemed to falter. "You mean... you're leaving Team Natsu..?"

"Until I can gather up enough money to pay off this month's rent, yes." Lucy hated the distraught look that overcame her nakama's face, but she was at wit's end.

Meanwhile, the gears in Natsu's head struggled as they attempted to turn. Lucy didn't want- no, _couldn't _stay in the team if everyone kept messing up. She was leaving to pay her rent, nothing more. It wasn't like she could bum money off of anyone when her funds got low. Taking her own job would be a sensible thing. She wasn't doing this to avoid Team Natsu, or spite them. She just needed the jewels, right? Right. Besides, Lucy had always compared her abilities to the rest of the team, and felt inferior. This might be her way of trying to get stronger. In the end, this might be able to benefit everyone involved.

But of course, our little dragon slayer's mind was still hung up on one thing.

"At least let Happy come with you. I can't let my nakama just run off without a little help," he insisted.

"No. I want do this by myself," Lucy stared him down.

"What about Wendy?"

"No..." Lucy growled through clenched teeth.

"Then I'll come."

"No, Natsu!" Lucy exploded. "No one's coming with me! Not Happy, not Wendy, and especially not you! How many times do I have to say it? I'm taking on a job _by myself _because the rest of the team is too crazy and won't listen to a word I say!"

"I can be good! I promise!"

"No! You can't! And you know what? I refuse to go on another job with anyone until you learn to settle down!"

Natsu's eyes widened. Lucy couldn't mean that! She wouldn't just abandon them, right?

"In fact, I won't go on a job with _you_ until you can prove that you can control yourself! If you can't stop worrying about me going off on my own, then you take on a solo job as well! If you can complete the entire mission without so much as a single jewel going towards paying off damages, I'll let rejoin Team Natsu."

"Lucy?" The blonde looked up at the sound of Mirajane's voice, her rage momentarily put on hold. The Take Over mage extended a paper towards Lucy, which she took. "Master Makarov seems to think you'll like this one."

Natsu and Lucy peered down at the writing while Lucy read it aloud, "'600,000 jewels will be offered to any wizard capable of standing in as the maid of honor at the wedding of Luna Hughes and Akihiro DiMaggio in Crocus'- WAIT! Luna Hughes? As in _the _Luna Hughes, the up and coming designer Sorcerer Weekly's looking to hire?" Lucy gaped.

"The very one," Mirajane smiled. "She designed the dress I wore for the last issue. Luna's a very nice woman, and she loves mages. Look at a few of the other tasks required for the job."

Lucy's mouth hit the floor at the next part. "'The couple would like for the mage to wear one of the bridesmaid's dresses made by Luna herself, as well as entertain the guests before the reception with a few of her magical abilities.' This is perfect! Thank you, Mira!"

"Entertaining sounds like fun, but I don't know about the wedding part," Natsu remarked. The dragon slayer wasn't really into overly formal occasions where he had to be still for extended periods of time.

"You won't be coming with me, so you won't have to worry," Lucy said firmly, slipping the paper into a pocket of her skirt.

"Crocus isn't the safest place-"

"Natsu, I meant what I said about taking our own jobs. I won't go out on any more jobs with you until you can complete one on your own without breaking anything," Lucy pointed crossed her arms, refusing to sway despite feeling considerably better. 600,000 jewels was a lot, and she wasn't really angry anymore... NO! Lucy was a _woman _and she wasn't about to seem indecisive, no matter how many times Natsu gave her puppy dog eyes.

"What happened?" Mira asked, glancing between the two. Usually the duo was inseparable, but it seemed as though they had fallen out quite badly.

"Natsu doesn't think I'm capable of going on a mission by myself," Lucy answered indignantly, finishing off her last sip of water.

"But what if something were to happen?" the slayer protested.

"Then I'd take care of it myself," decided Lucy, standing. "Thanks for the drink, Mira, and the job."

"No problem," the barmaid replied, taking up her glass. "Have fun in Crocus!"

Without another word, Lucy strode across the guild, kicked open the doors, and disappeared into the night. Natsu felt his heart grow heavy; Lucy wasn't really _that _mad with him, was she? She couldn't mean all of that, right?

Mirajane glanced down at the gloomy dragon slayer, who had suddenly slumped onto the counter, much like how Lucy had when she had first arrived. "You all really do have a habit of wreaking havoc," she pointed out softly. "Perhaps she just needs a break."

"Yeah, that's all. A break..." Natsu mumbled, sliding away from the bar and slinking over to the rest of Team Natsu.

The Take Over mage watched him go, a frown on her beautiful face. She really hoped that the two would get over this fight before either of them could do something really stupid. Spending some time away from each other might do them a world of good, but all Lucy had really asked for was proof that Natsu could control himself. In the best situation, the boy would see it as a challenge and try his hardest, but the worst would leave him sulking around the guild. Mirajane contemplated calling over Lisanna to send after the dragon slayer, but Erza already seemed to be talking to him- or rather, threatening him.

"Tell me what happened!" demanded Erza, pounding her fist into the table and causing everyone surrounding it to jump.

"Eek! Okay! Okay!" Natsu flailed momentarily before continuing. "Lucy just got really mad at me and said she wouldn't go on any more missions with me until I could show her that I'm not always destroying things!"

Gray snorted. "Likely chance."

"What was that, stripper?" Natsu growled.

Erza loudly cleared her throat, leaving the two to wrap their arms around each other's shoulders and chant, "We're the best of friends!"

"That's exactly what Lucy was talking about!" Erza scolded. Both boys shivered at her tone, even though her dark eyes were only fixed on Natsu. "Now, what did Lucy tell you. What did she say?"

"She told me that I had to do a solo mission and not pay a single jewel to repairs if she wanted me to come back to Team Natsu..." the dragon slayer muttered.

"That doesn't sound too hard," Wendy piped up with a smile. "You could go on a little job, right? That way, you wouldn't have to put much force into it anyways. Or you could go on one where you _had _to destroy stuff."

"Good idea, Wendy," Erza nodded in approval, then glared at Natsu. "Are you paying attention?"

"Yes, ma'am!" he squeaked.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she growled.

Natsu was standing in front of the request board before you could say 'nothing.'

"This really sucks..." he grumbled, scratching the back of his neck and scanning the available jobs with a keen eye. They were all really weird, too cheap, or didn't look like any fun. So far the most interesting one was to escort a carriage to the borders of Fiore- for 15,000 jewels. Despite the small reward, protecting someone somewhat went along the lines of getting payed to destroy things, right? Like fighting off bandits?

The dragon slayer was ready to set the entire board in fire when he noticed the edge of a request sticking out from under one about helping fill the mayor's backyard pool. Eyes narrowed, he flicked the other request up out of the way and scanned the paper.

Not ten seconds later, the boy slammed the request down on the counter and shot Mirajane a toothy grin. "This one!" he crowed.

The mage took a moment to look at the paper before giggling. "I can't believe no one else took this one already! It's been up for a week!" Mira pulled out a binder from under the bar and began to leaf through the pages. "This is the perfect job for you!"

"I hope Lucy will think so too!" he nodded.

Mirajane's eyes flitted up to meet Natsu's. "Aren't you a little worried that she might not like you taking a job so close to hers?"

"Nope! I can keep an eye on her _and _do the job!" Natsu said proudly.

"If you say so," Mirajane smiled, pulling another piece of paper from the binder. "Here are the rest of the details."

"Thanks, Mira!" the dragon slayer snatched up both papers and shoved them in his pocket. He couldn't wait to see Lucy's face when he showed her the reward money!

In the meantime, said celestial spirit mage was soaking in a tub of steamy hot water. She bit her lip as the previous hour floated through her mind.

_"In fact, I won't go on a job with you until you can prove that you can control yourself!"_

She hadn't taken it too far, had she? Surely not, Natsu could handle himself. The thought kept creeping into her mind: what if 'handling' wasn't the problem, but controlling? Her eyes narrowed as she willed away the thoughts. She had been perfectly within reason. Team Natsu really _had_ been getting too wild, especially that dragon slayer. Yet as she had the time to cool off, the mage realized just how reckless her words had been. What if she had offended him?

"Natsu? Offended?" Lucy scoffed, sinking lower in the bathtub. Where were her thoughts going now? At least she wasn't daydreaming about him again... She shuddered at her mind automatically recalled the forbidden images. "Bad Lucy! No!"

Sighing deeply, Lucy pinched her nose and sank completely under the bubbles. She needed to stop worrying about everything and concentrate on her job. She would leave Magnolia in the morning and be ready to take on the job by midday, easy peasy.

Team Natsu would just have to wait.

* * *

The following morning, Lucy briefly stopped at the guild before boarding the train to Crocus. After a restful sleep, the mage felt like her veins were pumping pure adrenaline throughout her body. Lucy _did _feel a little bad that the only person who had talked to her when she had walked into Fairy Tail, but then again, everyone else seemed to be passed out on the floor. They probably had another party, but for what, the celestial spirit mage could only guess.

What saddened her most was the lack of the cheerful fire dragon slayer. She hadn't seen his face amidst the mix of faces in the heaping pile. What if she really had insulted him?

"No, it's just Natsu. He wouldn't get so worked up over something like that," Lucy decided, staring out the window. The girl decided to apologize to him as soon as she returned, anyways. She really hadn't meant everything she had said the previous night. Hopefully the rest of the team had managed to talk some sense into Natsu.

Then again, sense wasn't exactly something he was known for.

_That idiot probably thought I was serious. He might have actually taken on a solo job, _Lucy mused with a half smile. _It's Natsu. He'll be fine._

She didn't know that at that exact moment, the dragon slayer was riding in one of the cars behind her, moaning softly as he hunched over the seat, barely maintaining consciousness.

_...I... will never ride... another train for as... long as I... live. _Natsu groaned loudly as he slumped to the floor.

A few hours later, the train rumbled into the station. By that time, Lucy had completely forgotten about her worries as she hopped from the train. Grinning broadly, the blonde checked her map for a final time before striding off into the crowd. It was time to collect that reward!

On the other hand, Natsu wasn't doing too well. The boy barely managed to drag himself off of the train before it began to chug out of the station. His stomach was still churning, but he felt better on solid ground.

"Never taking a train..." he muttered, trying to shove himself to his feet. _This is pathetic... Why didn't I let Happy come?  
_

"Hey, are you okay?" a soft voice asked him.

The dragon slayer wearily glanced up to see a young man staring down at him with worry. He wore a dark poncho, rugged pants, and a striped fedora that covered most of his face, though it didn't quite hide the odd tattoo that trailed the man's jawline.

"Hate transport," Natsu mumbled, clutching his gut.

"Here." The man crouched down on one knee and rested a hand on Natsu's shoulder. The boy watched as a purple magic circle flashed, before the man stood and offered his hand. "How's that?"

"Ne?" Natsu took his hand, and then noticed something odd. "I don't feel sick anymore!"

The man laughed. "You're welcome. It'll wear off soon, but I think you'll be fine by then!"

"Thanks so much!" Natsu grinned. "I didn't know other mages could use healing magic like Wendy!"

"Wendy?" the man blinked.

"Thanks again!" Without another word, the dragon slayer dashed off into the crowd, sniffing deeply for Lucy's scent.

The young wizard stared after him for a moment, but not without catching a glimpse of the red mark on the boy's shoulder. "What an odd person..." The man shook his head. Those Fairy Tail wizards really _were_ weak.

A few minutes ahead of everything, Lucy checked the papers for a final time before wrapping her knuckles on the door of a regal apartment. The two-story marble structure stood tall over the simple condos around, ivy curling up the sides. The shingles were a glimmering periwinkle, the window shutter's a fading purple, with extensive wear-and-tear on the golden door frame arching high over Lucy's head. The mage absentmindedly fantasized about what it would be like to live here.

_I bet it's just as beautiful on the inside~! _Lucy mentally squealed, eyes glowing.

At her knock, there was a small pause before the door swung open to reveal a lithe woman with long violet hair and silver eyes, wearing a deep blue dessy twist dress. Instantly, the woman's eyes lit up as she asked, "Are you the mage sent by Fairy Tail?"

Lucy nodded. "Are you Luna Hughes?"

"I most certainly am!" Luna laughed, her face breaking into a grin. "I was a little worried when I heard which guild accepted, but it doesn't look like we'll have any problems! Come in, come in!"

The designer ushered Lucy into the apartment, though the younger girl could barely breathe. The inside was somehow more gorgeous than the outside. She hardly had time to look at all of the chestnut furniture and gold trimmings before Luna handed her a small bag.

"This is the down payment. I know traveling all the way from Magnolia must have been tiring, especially since we had only received word of your comings this morning," Luna explained, leading Lucy through another doorway. "I hope 100,000 jewels will give cover any expenses you might need to pay for your troubles."

_100,000 jewel down payment? _Lucy almost fainted, but somehow managed to gush, "Oh, thank you!"

"I hope it's enough," Luna fretted. "If not, I should be able to give you another 100,000 before the wedding."

The celestial spirit mage was speechless.

"But while you're here, we might as well get down to business! Here, have a seat, and don't worry about your bags. My fiance sent someone for them a while ago," Luna lead the awed Lucy into the living room and sat on the couch, patting the seat next to her. The blonde could only look around and try not to gape as she followed the older's lead.

"Your house is so wonderful," she breathed.

"Oh, no! This isn't my house! This is where you will be staying this week!" Luna giggles at the sight of Lucy's mouth plummeting. "I forgot to add that in the request, didn't I? Oh, dear..."

"I'm staying _here?_"

"Yes, if you want to, that is. I can make more accommodating arrangement if it's not to your tastes."

"No, I think this just fine..." Lucy said in a daze.

"Now, onto business. First off, you already know me, Luna Hughes. You may call me Luna, but who are you?"

"Lucy."

"Lucy..?"

"Just Lucy." _I don't really want her to know I'm a Heartfilia!_

Luna beamed. "Well then, Lucy of Fairy Tail, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Lucy took the hand offered to her and took it. "Likewise, Luna!"

"Lucy, tell me..." Lucy frowned at the sudden loss of volume in Luna's voice and the darkened look that clouded her vision. "I need to discuss something of utmost importance with you. Tell me, Lucy, how good are you at keeping secrets?"

* * *

Lucy seemed to be doing fine. Natsu had tracked her scent all the way this street where she was greeted by a cheerful woman in a flowing dress. She looked nice enough, but Natsu still had his doubts. Regardless, he had his own job to finish; he could catch up with Lucy easily enough afterwords.

Not half an hour later, the dragon slayer found himself sitting across from a man in a fresh tuxedo calling himself Druce Arkwright of the Rune Knights.

"So you see, that's why I put out a request," Druce finished, wringing one of the cuffs of his jacket. "I'm worried about my friend's wedding in a few days, especially with all of the warnings we've received, on top of the heightened crime rate. I'll admit that I was a little skeptical when I heard that a Fairy Tail wizard had accepted this job, so I hope you're capable of proving me wrong. Akihiro is a dear friend of mine, and I couldn't bear to see his special day go wrong."

"Don't worry about it! Fairy Tail mages always support one another!" Natsu grinned. "So, I gotta protect the couple, make sure no one messes up the wedding, and catch the Chameleon? Got it!"

"Remember, we don't know much about the Chameleon, so we would appreciate even the slightest amount of..." Druce's words were wasted, as the eager wizard ran already dashed off. The man took a deep breath. "Oh, Akihiro... I tried..."

Meanwhile, a certain dragon slayer was already fired up and itching to catch Fiore's Most Wanted: the Chameleon. Too bad he didn't make it to the end of the street.

"Hey, you! Fairy Tail!"

* * *

_Hmm... intertwining jobs..? I wonder how this will work out._

_Lucy: Oi! You're the author!_

_I suppose so. That just means you'll have to be extra nice to me until this is finished, or else. Besides, you're not suppose to know what Natsu's doing!  
_

_Lucy: -gulps-_


	2. Step Two: Fire 'em Up

_Hello again! Wow, I can't believe I actually managed to update on time! Let's see if I can make this a habit! Also, LOADS of thanks to all of my readers for the generous amount of reviews, favorites, and follows! You all have no idea how happy it makes me to know that you all are interested in my crazy ideas!  
_

_I do not own Fairy Tail, and if I did, it would never be as popular as it is today._

* * *

**Step Two:  
Fire 'em Up**

Lucy leaned in, eyes wide, nodding. Her heart raced at the prospect Luna was proposing. What secret needed to be told? Were the groom's parents not happy? Was there something wrong with the cake? Did the other bridesmaids not want to wear their dresses? Or what if-

"Lucy, I'm not the real Luna Hughes."

* * *

Natsu whirled around to see a bulky figure ambling down the street towards him. The man was bald, with narrow eyes and an angular jawline. His dark robes were in tatters, exposing a dark satchel tied to his- but Natsu didn't really care _what _the guy looked like. He was more concerned with the broadsword the man was cradling.

"Looking for a fight, Fairy Tail?" the man chortled.

Natsu smirked, cracking his knuckles. "I don't know who you are, but you look like you'd be fun to squash."

Guffawing loudly, the man turned and yelled down the street, "Did you hear that? The little fairy thinks he can-"

"Fire dragon's wing slash!"

It kind of went downhill from there.

* * *

If Lucy's mouth dropped any more this week, her jaw might permanently unhinge. The celestial spirit mage stared into the uneasy silver eyes of the designer's impersonator. Her hand slowly began to slide towards her keys, but Luna flinched.

"Hear me out, okay? The real Luna went missing nine days ago. I don't know where she is, I swear!" It was then that Lucy noticed that the woman was nervously pursing her lips.

"Why are you here?" Lucy's fingers paused, having wrapped around the hilt of Loke's key.

"Someone's trying to stop the wedding, or at least, that's what I believe." The woman's eyes flashed purple before yellow smoke swiftly washed over her form. A moment later, Lucy was faced with a girl around her age. She had short, blue hair with jagged bangs and darker strands that hung past her chin. An eye patch covered her left eye, a nasty scar underlying the cloth, the right eye green. Bandages were wrapped around the girl's callused hands and neck, slightly obscured by a dark orange tank top. She wore weathered cargo shorts and black lace-up go-go boots.

"Transformation magic..." Lucy breathed.

"Mimicry, to be precise, but I can only become other humans, which made me perfect for this job."

"Job?" Lucy questioned warily.

"Luna" nodded. "Ten days ago, I took up a request sent out by the real Luna's best friend, Atraxi. As the maid of honor, it was her job to oversee all of the wedding preparations with Luna, but she thought there was something fishy with the way everything was being planned. She asked for a mage capable of protecting Luna and, in the most dire situation, transform into the bride. The next day, Luna disappeared without a trace."

"Didn't anyone look for her?"

The girl shook her head. "You see, Luna doesn't exactly get along with Akihiro's parents, something about her holding him back from getting into the Rune Knights. If they heard the bride had gone missing, they would tell everyone that Luna had run away to avoid marriage. Atraxi couldn't let them destroy her nakama's reputation, and neither could I. I promised Atraxi that I would pretend to be Luna until the real one returned, but a few days ago, Atraxi went missing as well."

Lucy's eyes widened. "It sounds like some sort of conspiracy."

"I'm afraid so," the mage said gravely. "I read over the guest list, but everyone coming are friends of the family, from Luna's work, or famous magicians from all over Fiore. I couldn't force any of them to become the new maid of honor on such short notice, especially under these circumstances. I needed someone on the outside that I could still trust: another mage."

Lucy nodded, her eyes hardening. "I understand. What do I need to do?"

* * *

"You're from Southern Wolves? The mercenary guild?" Natsu raised an eyebrow.

"Yes!" howled the man on the ground, shivering in the dragon slayer's shadow. "I'm Brachius from Southern Wolves!"

"Huh. Could've sworn I've run into you guys before... _Nah!_ Thanks for the fight!" Natsu laughed, grinned, and walked away.

Brachius stared after the boy, his breath hitched. _It can't be..! That mark, that magic..! Could he really be Salamander..?_ The man could only gulp as he looked down at the burns all over his body, and the new patches in his attire.

Said fire mage hadn't the foggiest the state he had left the other man. Natsu was- for once in his life- focusing on the task at hand. He didn't like the thought of never going on another job with Lucy, and hoped she'd forgive him after he proved... whatever it was she'd wanted him to do.

_Weirdo... _Natsu shook his head. The boy took a deep whiff.

Brachius... something burning... a dog a few buildings down... Lucy!

The smile returned to his face. His teammate didn't seem to be in any trouble; he couldn't hear anything nor smell fear with her scent, so she had to be doing fine.

But another scent was hanging in the air, one almost as powerful as Lucy's: food.

Forget the job. Every dragon slayer needed to eat.

After an hour of gorging himself- and then another two hours of washing dishes- Natsu found himself back on the streets of Crocus. What was he suppose to do for the rest of the week until the wedding? He only knew two things about this Chameleon person: their nickname and the type of magic they used.

_Some type of Take Over... nah. The man said something about-_

"Natsuuuuuuu!"

The dragon slayer barely had time to react as a blue blur slammed into his shoulder, sobbing. "H-Happy..?!"

"I'm sorry, Natsu!" the Exceed cried, clutching his partner's shoulder.

"For what?" Natsu blinked, puzzled.

"I never should have let you go alone!"

"Well, it's a good thing you're here!" Natsu laughed.

"Really? You missed me?" Large black eyes peered up hopefully.

"Of course! Partners forever!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy launched himself into the air, unfurling his white wings. "What are we doing on this job?"

"Capturing the Chameleon and protecting a wedding!" Natsu declared, punching the air.

"The Chameleon? Who's that?"

"I dunno. Someone with a pretty bad reputation."

"What do we know about him?" Happy asked, gliding alongside Natsu as he walked.

"Nothing, but that ain't gonna stop me!" he yelled, fire spewing from his mouth.

"Aye!" Happy chorused.

...Now they just had to find this criminal with only a name and magic type to go on. Surely _that _couldn't be hard, since he had to be somewhere in all of Crocus. Not hard at all!

* * *

Lucy twirled around in her dress, mouth open in awe as she marveled it beauty. The gown was floor-length, a soft periwinkle that leaned more towards slate farther down, with a single sleeve that draped over the edge of Lucy's shoulder. The neckline plunged to her stomach as it wrapped around her back, exposing a deep blue corset that covered just enough. A charcoal ribbon was tied at her waist, the dress seemingly flowing from the adornment, widening majestically as it angled towards the crystal shoes on Lucy's feet. The blonde's hair was pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head, a few long strands left down to frame the mage's pronounced jawline. All in all, Lucy felt as though she were back in the Heartfilia mansion, trying on a fresh dress, as she hadn't seen something so ostentatious since she left.

"This... is _gorgeous_..." the celestial spirit mage whispered, gyrating to watch her regal reflection in the mirror do the same.

"I'm glad you like it," Luna sucked in a breath. "My magic allows me to think like the person I copy, and this was one of the styles the original Luna had in mind for someone with blonde hair and dark eyes. I'm still glad she had the plans laying around, else I fear I might not have been able to finish it based off memory alone."

Lucy tore her eyes away from the mirror long enough to look at the girl. Luna's poser was standing on the other side of the bedroom, absentmindedly tapping her index finger on her leg. Her eye glanced around the room, occasionally landed on a peculiar object hanging up or detail on the hand-painted walls.

"Your magic reminds me of Gemini," said Lucy quietly, jolting the girl out of her trance.

"Gemini? Isn't that one of those Golden Keys to the Zodiac, or something like that?" Luna ran her hands along the engravings on the side of the headboard.

"The twins," Lucy nodded. "Their magic allows them to copy up people, both in appearance and mindset. They can store up to two copies at a time, and even use the copy's magic, if any."

Luna's eyes lit up. "I can copy people's magic, too, but I can only imitate the last person I copy; I call it scanning. I've been practicing magic since I was little, but becoming someone else, especially for extended periods of time, is quite taxing. If the person is a wizard, I can rarely maintain their form for four hours before loosing consciousness. If I have to _use _their magic, it can last as little as half a minute, and up to thirty if I push it."

Lucy's eyes trailed around her bedroom for the week. Like the rest of the apartment, this room was grand enough for the likes of royalty. The high ceilings stretched far above the duo's heads, arching towards the center where its wooden beams overlapped to support a quartz chandelier. A queen-sized bed was centered in the middle of the room, a wardrobe to the left, a dresser and vanity to the right. A stained glass oculus was positioned above a window whose view exposed the outer edges of Crocus and the land beyond. There was a closet just to Lucy's left, the mirror between it and the doorway to her immediate right. The floor was covered in a soft rose-colored carpet, and the walls were covered by murals; the paint had been mixed with shards of glass, giving it a sparkling appearance, as though someone had sprinkled glitter on the walls. All in all, Lucy had no clue how on earth anyone could afford to stay here, much less how such a place came to be an apartment.

"So," Lucy cleared her throat, "You know who I am, but you still haven't told me your name."

The girl shook her head. "It's safer if you don't know. That way, there wouldn't be a chance either of us could slip up. Just call me Luna, please."

How could Lucy resist the girl's timid smile? It was so much different from another smile she was given by a certain dragon slayer.

At the thought of Natsu, Lucy's heart swelled with guilt. What if he _had _taken her seriously? Could he really be that dense? Ignoring her anxiety, Lucy shoved it away in a corner of her mind and forced her attention back to the Take Over mage in front of her.

"Okay. But... is it really okay to let me wear this for the wedding?" she gushed, looking at herself in the mirror again.

Luna giggled softly. "Of course! You're the maid of honor!"

"So, what do we need to do first?" Lucy asked, spinning for a final time before settling down the butterflies in her stomach.

"Food," Luna decided. "Atraxi and I hadn't got to that before she disappeared, and it was all I could do to hide her disappearance as well. I told the family that she had mentioned feeling under the weather the night before, but didn't elaborate. When they asked me who would be the new maid of honor, I told them that I was thinking about offering the place to an old friend I hadn't seen in a while. That way, it would give us an excuse to appear as though we were catching up, _and _Luna's family wouldn't worry about their daughter picking random people off the streets to go to her wedding."

"It sounds like you've had this all planned out," Lucy realized.

Luna shrugged. "I like to plan things, even though they usually don't go according to plan."

_I feel you... _Lucy thought with a soft sigh. _Though I _do _have to wonder if things often go wrong for her, the way she talks._

"So, what do you think the guests would like?"

"Eh?" Lucy blinked. "You mean, I actually get to help _plan _the wedding?!"

Luna nodded, amusement flashing in her eye. "Of course. Luna's planned plenty of weddings, but this is my first time. All I have to go on are what she was planning to do, but my mimicry _does _leave occasional gaps."

_I get to... PLAN A WEDDING! _Lucy swooned. _Oh, sweet Mavis-!_

* * *

Natsu stomach was rumbling loudly as he and Happy ambled down another street. The sun was setting in the distance, and so far, the little rascal had yet to show his face. It wasn't like Druce had given Natsu any description of Chameleon, nor had Natsu anything to base a scent trail off of, so the duo was pretty much starting from scratch.

"Happy? How do we find him?" Natsu grumbled, glancing around and sniffing the air for anything that seemed out of place. So far, no luck.

The blue Exceed hovered next to the dragon slayer, moaning, "I dunno, but I'm hungry, Natsu..."

"We used up all our extra money at the last place we ate. We don't even have a place to crash," Natsu checked his pockets for a final time, but with the same result. Nothing seemed to be going their way today. Rode a train, wasted time looking for Druce, ate up all the food money, can't find the Chameleon, lost Lucy's scent-

_Lucy! She might know how to find the Chameleon! She's really smart! _Natsu thought giddily, a large grin stretching across his face, only to crash and burn within the moment. _But she's the reason I'm doing this in the first place... She won't like it if I ask her questions in the middle of our jobs, and it's not like she knows I'm on Crocus. Besides, I don't need her! Happy and I are perfectly fine on our own! It's just like old times!_

"C'mon, Happy! I'm sure we can find a place to stay for the night! We have all week to look for the Chameleon!" declared Natsu.

"Are, sir!" cheered the Exceed.

_That_ plan lasted exactly ten minutes.

The stars were just beginning to faze into view as the dragon slayer slumped back in an alleyway, his stomach howling loud enough to challenge a train. Happy didn't seem any better off.

"If this is the capital, then why can't we find any hotels?" moaned the Exceed.

"Screw hotels! If we could just find this Chameleon character, we'd be done and have enough money to go home! Where the hell is he?!" Natsu roared, fire spewing out of his mouth.

"Hey, you!" screamed a slightly hoarse voice from behind the duo, who turned sharply.

To their surprise, a young woman was hurrying down the alley towards them. Upon reaching them, she promptly collapsed at their feet, wheezing and puffing. Natsu dropped to his knees, cocking his head.

"You okay?"

The teenager held up a finger, still gasping for breath . Natsu and Happy exchanged a look.

"Do you need a fish, lady?" Happy pulled one from the green pouch on his back, then seemed to realize what he was holding and stuffed it in his mouth, emitting a soft purr. Natsu supposed that took care of his partner's hunger.

They waited another minute before the girl could finally sit up and speak. Moonlight illuminated brilliant golden eyes that stared out from under a rugged pixie-style haircut. She wore a baggy red tee, the shoulder and top half tore from one side, exposing a black tank top. A dark sash was tied high on her waist with an odd device hanging from it. Her black and white combat boots were coated in mud from the ankle down and the dark achromatic army cap on her head was crooked.

When the newcomer finally opened her mouth, her voice was rough, as though she hadn't had anything to drink in quite a while. "Are you Salamander? _The _Salamander, of Fairy Tail?" she wheezed, straightening her cap with a hand.

"Uh huh. Hey, are you okay?" Natsu cocked his head.

She nodded, eyes shining. "I'm fine. Listen, we need to talk."

"Eh?"

"Privately," she added, brushing herself off. "I need a word."

"Why?" he asked bluntly. _And isn't a deserted alleyway as private as it gets?_

The girl shot him a deadpan look. "You're going after the Chameleon, right?"

"How-"

"Your voice carries," she shrugged. "Now come on. We can't talk in public."

Happy and Natsu exchanged a look. _A deserted alleyway was public?_

"She seems paranoid. Can we trust her?" Natsu.

"I dunno. What do you think?" Happy.

"Why not?"

"I'm standing right here," the girl waved a hand nonchalantly.

"Hi! I'm Natsu, and this is Happy!" Natsu stood, offering her a hand. The girl stared at it for a moment before taking it. It was then Natsu noticed the odd scent she was giving off. It kind of reminded him of Happy, but that might have been the Exceed's scent mixing with her own. He also sensed magic flowing in her veins.

"Holiander," she replied gruffly.

"That's a funny name," Happy remarked around his fish.

"And 'Happy' isn't?" Holiander raised an eyebrow.

Natsu leaped forward. "You mentioned the Chameleon. Do you know anything?" he asked eagerly.

The girl's eyes flickered as she looked over the duo. "Maybe. Listen, you two got a place to stay tonight?"

"No," they answered in unison, sounded depressed.

A smirked quirked the corners of Holiander's mouth. "Well then, you two better keep up, 'cause I'm not waiting around."

* * *

_Lucy gets her dress for the wedding, and Natsu gains Happy and a new acquaintance. How will Holiander fit into all of this insanity?  
_

_Lucy: *deadpans* Don't give yourself away._

_I won't! Just you wait, my dear!_

_Lucy: Anyways, what kind of a name IS 'Holiander'?_

_Oi! What happened to not giving myself away? (Though I have made a new enemy: auto correct. It kept changing Holiander's name to 'highlighter' and 'Hollander'...)_


	3. Step Three: Give Them a Final Warning

_Ack! I almost didn't make it this time! The last time I had proper access to a computer was the last time I updated. In other words, you might find this chapter to be a little shorter than the rest, but it makes up for it with the content. The plot will pick up soundly in the next chapter (yay!), so I hope my lovely readers will stick around!_

_Lucy: Shameless self-promotion..._

_Yup, but don't knock it! And sadly, I still do not own Fairy Tail._

* * *

**Step Three:  
Give Them a Final Warning**

Holiander had heard rumors growing up. Apparently, Fairy Tail used to be a popular guild before their main members disappeared seven years ago. Word had it that they had returned, and Fairy Tail was trying to earn back its destructive reputation, as well as their 'Strongest Guild in Fiore' title. Of course, the mage had thought it completely ridiculous... until today.

The girl glanced around the lobby of the hotel she had chosen to stay in. It was a simple inn with a bellhop and decent room service. The walls were covered by an off-white wallpaper decorated with a floral pattern that reminded Holiander of daisies. The ceiling was dipping in some places, though the many brochures at the front desk assured its guests that it was no danger. The stone floor was neatly swept with the occasional blemish. The receptionist's desk was on the left side of the room, a small restaurant to the right; all guests ate for free, twenty-four seven. Eight tables, four chairs at each, with a door that led to the "party deck" and grill area.

Nothing special.

Holiander sipped her coffee as she watched the duo scarfing down every crumb set on the table, amusement flashing within the depths of her golden eyes. They reminded her of a younger her sitting in the den, watching Animal Planet on her family's lacrima with wide eyes. _The starved hyena shreds its prey with jagged teeth, scraps flying in every direction as it mauls the remains of its meal. _The two certainly did remind her of a hungry animal, especially that pink-haired boy. The flying cat seemed somewhat approachable, a large fish stuffed between his jaws. A small smile adorned her face. She had always been fond of felines.

"So, you're Salamander?" she questioned, resting her cup on the saucer.

"Mhmm hmm!" Natsu mumbled around his current mouthful.

Holiander didn't quite know how to word her next sentence. The fire mage's actions were throwing her for a bit of a loop. The girl fiddled with the severed edge of her T-shirt, waiting for him to tire in his feasting.

Natsu, however, didn't seem to realize that the girl was waiting for _him_. The mage continued to stuff his face until his stomach had swelled to an "appropriate" size, and he found that he could eat no more. Grinning to himself, he glanced across the table towards Holiander, who was staring off in the distance with a bored expression.

"So, what about-"

The girl slapped a hand over his mouth. "Not here! Follow me!" Before Natsu could protest, Holiander had drug him out of the dining area, up a few flights of stairs, down a freakishly long hallway, and into a hotel room at the end of the hall. Locking the deadbolt behind her, Holiander turned. "Okay, _now _you can ask questions."

"Where's the Chameleon?" asked Natsu.

Holiander eyed him curiously. _He certainly gets to the point, doesn't he? _"Even if I told you, we couldn't fetch him now. He's too well guarded."

"So? I'll just run them all through!" The mage's brandished a flaming fist to emphasize his point.

The mage resisted the urge to palm her face. "You don't get it. What I mean is that if we go after the Chameleon now, _we'll _be the ones who end up in prison."

"Eh?"

"What do you mean, Holly?" Happy asked with a frown.

The girl stiffened. "Holiander," she corrected automatically. "And what I mean is that the Chameleon's been in Crocus long enough to establish himself a secure position. The Chameleon's woven himself into society so well that he could walk the streets in broad daylight and no one would think anything of it. Capturing him now would be like going after someone in the Magic Council during a meeting."

"You mean we have to wait?" Natsu groaned.

"Yep," Holiander smirked.

"Holly, are you a mage?" Happy asked, munching on a fish he had brought upstairs.

"_Holiander_, and of course. Anyone who goes after the Chameleon needs to have some sort of magical defenses. You'd never have the upper hand otherwise," the girl replied as she scanned their current surroundings.

There were two rooms: a main room and a lavatory. Every wall was covered in cream wallpaper, fading and yellowed in some places, with a few tears near the seams. The ceiling was white, as was the carpet in the main room. The bathroom contained a shower, toilet, sink, and another utility Holiander had come to recognize as a lacrima disposal system (or a fancy waste bin). There were two twin beds in the main room, one next to the doors leading out to the balcony, the other adjacent to the lavatory door, a small nightstand between the two. A worn chest of drawers rested beside a lacrima screen, propped high on a wooden pedestal.

"What guild are you in?" Natsu cocked his head.

"I'm a bit of a free spirit," the girl replied coolly, sitting at the foot of one bed. "I haven't found a guild suitable for me yet, but don't worry about it. It's not that I _couldn't _get in. My magic isn't weak."

"Ooh, what magic do you use?" Happy ogled.

A mischievous smirk curled the corners of the girl's mouth. "Perhaps a short demonstration would work better than an explanation."

A soft yellow magic circle lit up under Holiander. There was a moment's pause, but it was then that Natsu and Happy seemed to realize what was going on. Rather, _Happy _realized, since Natsu found himself growing queasy and clutched the mattress covers. Both beds had slowly lifted off of the carpeted floor. All around the room, other objects began to lift as well, some spinning slow, deliberate cartwheels around the trio.

"Older tales call this 'telekinesis magic,' but I'm not really one for fancy titles," the mage said. "My magic allows me to move any object purely with my mind."

"Whoa..." Happy breathed, looking around. Natsu just groaned loudly. "Well, Natsu here is a fire dragon slayer!"

"Dragon slayer?" Holiander blinked. _Where have I heard that term before? Don't two of Sabertooth's strongest wizards call themselves that? Could it be..? Is he really _that _Natsu?_

* * *

Lucy layed spread-eagle atop the covers of her bed. Luna had left a few hours ago, commenting on getting rested up for the big week to come, but hadn't bothered to tell Lucy where she could be found the following morning. Taking a deep breath, the blonde stared up at the ceiling as she listened to the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway.

_I can't believe I get to plan a wedding! This is really happening! _It was hard for the exuberant mage to contain her giddiness, but with nothing else to distract her thoughts, it was hard to do otherwise. _Perhaps a walk will help wear me out, and hopefully get me to sleep within the next hour. It also couldn't hurt to get to know the area a little better._

With a firm nod to herself, Lucy sat up, grabbed her keys from the pillow, and headed out of the apartment.

Around the same time, it had been well after midnight before Holiander left, saying something about getting herself her own room for the night, but Natsu really hadn't been paying attention. The dragon slayer crashed on one of the beds, absentmindedly wishing for the comfort of the soft pink blankets of Lucy's bed, but drifted off to sleep regardless, Happy soon to follow. Unbeknownst to them, a certain celestial spirit mage was wandering the dark streets of Crocus with an appreciative eye.

_The city's so stylish, _Lucy thought with a soft smile. It was a little chilly outside, as a slight breeze was stirring the air. _And so peaceful at night. There's hardly anyone out. I wonder where everyone is... This is the capital, so there's surely a few people bound to be out and about. Maybe I'm just on the quiet side of town._

The blonde footsteps echoed on the cobblestone road as she sauntered along it. A few minutes into the walk, she summoned Plue to keep her company for the rest of her stroll. The little spirit seemed more than happy to dance around her ankles as she went.

"Hey, you! Blondie!"

Lucy started, turning on a dime in time to see a dark figure approaching her from one of the side streets. With her current distance, the girl couldn't make out his facial features in the slightest.

"Who are you?" she asked, hand flying to rest on the pouch holding her keys. With a soft poof, Plue disappeared from sight.

"Someone you would do well to listen to." The voice was haughty, deep like a man's, but with an odd lilt and an accent that seemed out of place. "You're the new maid of honor for the wedding in a few days, right, Lucy Heartfilia?"

"How do you know my name?" Lucy demanded in an undertone.

"Not important. Just don't turn your back to anyone. You can't trust those people. Not a one of 'em. Don't get attached to them, either. All they spew are lies."

"What do you want from me?" Her fingers closed around one of the keys; she could feel Taurus's power humming in her grasp.

"Nothing from you, Lucy Heartfilia. Watch your back, that's all."

Before the girl could respond, the figure's image dissolved into a darker smoke that dissipated amidst the shadows of the side street. She watched as a piece of paper fluttered to the ground. After a moment's hesitation, Lucy slipped onto the sidewalk and picked it up. Her wide brown eyes ran over the single lie written on the torn-off piece of parchment in her palm, suddenly feeling colder than she remembered.

'_Trust no one, Princess._'

* * *

_Ah, how I love cliffhangers~!_

_Lucy: Funny, considering you're not ending every single chapter on them like with some of your other stories. Besides, that's not really a cliffhanger. I just got a creepy visit in the middle of the night by some stranger who knows my name. (And calls me Princess... Usually only Virgo and Loke do that...)  
_

_Oh well. This fanfic isn't written like my other ones. Hopefully you all like the pacing of it so far, but if not, then don't be afraid to tell me! Also, I love critique (how else am I going to get any better?) and/or compliments!_

_Lucy: So does everyone._

_Exactly! So feel free to review or PM me to ask questions, offer suggestions or comments, or guess about the upcoming plotline! I don't bite! Also, have a nice day, readers! :D_


	4. Step Four: Turn the World on Its Ear

_First of all, lots of thanks to all of my lovely readers out there. I had a lot of hits, well as more favorites, follows and reviews! Also, this chapter is more of a normal length (whoop! whoop!) because I had more than an hour to write it! (Unlike last time. -_-) ANYWHO- let's get this party started!_

_Astonishing as it is, I still don't own Fairy Tail._

* * *

**Step Four:  
Turn the World on Its Ear**

The five silhouettes gathered around a dusty table, its wooden surface chipped and tarnished with age. All were shrouded in dark cloaks, yet it didn't matter; they had all come to know each other's voices more than their appearances.

"The target still has not been identified. Master is becoming impatient," growled the tallest figure.

"Ants in your pants, Second?" cooed a smooth voice. The figure propped a blood-stained boot up on the table.

One of the men next to him swatted the shoe aside. "Show some respect, Jax. This is a touchy situation as is. The last thing we need is to slack up and get everyone killed."

"My deepest apologies, Oh Great One," drawled Jax, slumping back in his seat, arms crossed. "I haven't forgotten."

An irritated sigh echoed around the table. "Where is the kid?"

"Fashionably late, I presume," Jax shorted.

"Tetro dislikes waiting..." muttered one who chose that moment to slump across the table. "Tetro wishes to return to his nice bed."

"You'll find yourself safe and snug soon enough, Tetro."

All five figures glanced up in time to see a small blur plummet from the sky onto the table. Dust exploded around the group, but no one dared to cough. When the cloud cleared enough to see, a small black and brown tabby cat trotted across the tabletop before hopping into the final chair between Jax and Second.

"Show off..." the younger growled, shooting Kid a hostile look.

Large yellow eyes peered up at the man, its slitted pupils dilated. "Oh, but what could I do? A little kitty cat like me couldn't possibly lay a finger on a great a wizard as you claim to be~"

"Don't antagonize him, Kid," said another, Midori, her higher voice grating against the cat's ears. "We don't need another incident like that last one."

Jax rolled his eyes as Kid scanned the group. "Well, it would appear that we're all here now," mused Kid, her tail lazily flicker over the cool surface of the chair. "Has anyone any new information?"

"Ladies first," Jax's fingers trailed to the hem of his coat where the faint outline of a gun could barely be seen amidst the midnight shadows.

Midori shot the man a stern look before saying, "Luna Hughes' request was answered today. Fairy Tail."

Low laughter could be heard all around the table.

"Those weaklings?" Jax howled, clutching his side. "If that's all we have standing in our way, I could take them blindfolded!"

"I wouldn't go as far as to call them weak any more," Second rumbled. "I heard their main members have returned."

"After seven years? Tetro doubts it."

"Fine, what do the rest of you know?" Midori sniffed contemptuously.

Shadows shifted around the final member as he leaned forward, the broadsword strapped to his back sliding down a little. "Fairy Tail's Salamander is in town. I think he might have been assigned to the job."

"Salamander?" The name reverberated around the group.

"What do you mean, Oh Great One? That the great and powerful Salamander, well known for his destruction and mayhem, is going to tone it down to dress up in a tux, walk the isle with the bride, and protect the wedding?" Jax raised an eyebrow. "That's like saying Kid use to be a-"

Jax's cloak swiftly wrapped the mage in tight bindings. Slitted yellow eyes peered at the man out of the gloom as a matching magic circle hummed under his feet. "Are you sure you would like to finish that sentence?" purred the feline, venom dripping from every word.

"Kid," Midori warned, and the coat slowly loosened.

"Tetro wishes to express his vertigo," chirped the man. "Tetro would love to tear this Salamander limb from limb and watch his blood form a red river down the streets of Crocus."

"Tetro is positively bloodthirsty," mocked Jax.

"And you aren't?" Kid flicked an ear.

Second slammed a broad fist on the table. "Silence! You all know what we were sent here to do and bickering isn't likely to get the job done!"

"I agree," said Midori, lacing her fingers together. "As the best of the best, it's our job to finish this mission to leave a lasting impression on the younger generation."

"Listen, sweetheart, whatever impression we leave will be lasting. We could fall flat on our faces and we'd still make one hell of an impression," Jax chortled.

"Now I'm tempted to see that," Kid's eyes flashed.

"Tetro would like to smash Salamander's face," offered the man.

"Bring it, pussycat!" hissed Jax.

The elder three of the group exchanged an exasperated look before Second pounded the tabletop again.

"Children! Tame yourselves! We only have a week until the wedding and we don't have a tangible lead to go on!"

"I might be able to gather more intel if this stupid cat wasn't always sauntering in late, wasting time, and having me to make up for lost sleep during working hours," Jax's eyes flashed to said cat, who bristled under his gaze.

"Kid's dedication to this job isn't as questionable as yours, Jax," replied the 'Great One'. "She's provided us with more information this week than you have in the past month."

The man slumped back further in his chair, muttering to himself.

"And Tetro, control yourself."

"Tetro doesn't like it, but he will try," he mumbled.

"Good," Midori nodded. "Now, as much as we've heard about Salamander in the past, it goes without saying that this mission is not to be taken lightly. I say that someone should approach Salamander, get to know him, get close if possible."

"So you want one of us to spy now?" Jax propped his boots up on the table, only for 'Great One' to bat them down again.

"Precisely, and since you have yet to be of extreme use to us, I suggest that _you _go, Jax," Second said.

"With pleasure," the man smirked.

"You are not to engage Salamander, are you clear?" rumbled the presumed leader.

"Yes, Oh Great One. Are we done here?"

"So it would seem," Second sighed. "If anyone gathers new information, you know what to do."

* * *

Bright sunlight was streaming in through the cracked windows to Lucy's right, a light breeze flicking a stray hairs onto the girl's face, leaving them to tickle the blonde awake. She woke drowsily, but was bolting out of bed in the next moment. She had a wedding to plan! Quickly throwing on a white sleeveless turtleneck, the mage hurried to the living room, only for a delicious smell to halt her in her tracks.

A familiar purple-haired girl poked her head into the room, a cheery grin plastered on her almost dainty face. "Breakfast is ready, Lucy. I made waffles, bacon, and a blackberry Brie tart."

"You made breakfast?" Lucy gushed. "You didn't have to!"

Luna flushed. "It's been a while, so it might not be any good. Do you have any food allergies?"

"No," Lucy replied, following the delectable scent into the kitchen.

The dining hall was a longer room, a fully-equipped kitchen just inside the doorway, a worn chestnut table to the left, with a garnished spice kitchen in the far left corner. The yellowing ceiling was dipping a little, as was the hardwood panels of the floor, with a few blemishes in the center. Lucy slid into a seat at the table, taking a deep breath. It wasn't long after that Luna sat down next to her and transformed into an impressionable host. The two ate and discussed the basics of the schedule for the day.

"And after I finalize the papers, we can do whatever we want for the rest of the day!" Luna smiled. "I find it easier to work if I don't strain myself by taking on too much in a single day."

_So unlike Team Natsu,_ Lucy couldn't help to think, but deep in her heart, the blonde was already missing Fairy Tail's rambunctious antics.

* * *

Unlike his teammate, Natsu's morning was filled with "excitement" and "vigor." Read: Holiander stormed the room at six in the morning to get him up. Gone was the mysterious mage he had met in a dark alleyway. Gone was the abstract paranoia. Gone was pretty much everything he had assumed about the girl.

"Rise and shine, Salamander! Get your rump moving! We've got work to do!" The fire mage barely had time to react before the girl shoved a plate of fire chicken under his nose. "You eat this stuff, right? Lovely. Now get to shoveling!"

Natsu watched Holiander as she disappeared into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. "Happy, does she remind you of someone?"

"Erza," the Exceed trembled. "But crazier."

Shrugging, Natsu shoved the food into his mouth. It wasn't as good as Mirajane's, but it would have to do. Not an hour later, the trio was out on the streets with a map, plenty of yawns, and fire chicken to-go.

"So, the wedding will be _here _which leaves us with two possible streets and five back roads that people may arrive and leave by. In other words, roughly twenty exits we'll have to cover," Holiander spewed, jabbing the map to emphasize her points.

"Happy, why are we with her again?" Natsu jerked a thumb at the girl.

"She knows stuff," Happy mumbled around a fish he had stuffed in his mouth moments before.

"More than you realize, actually," Holiander smirked. "I picked this off your person last night."

Natsu turned to fire back a comment about him not being _anyone's _person, but caught sight of the writing on the paper the wizard was waving in his face. "Hey, that's my job flier!" He snatched the paper from her hand.

She shrugged. "You're working a gig for Druce, one of those guild-sponsored mission things. Capture the Chameleon and/or protect the wedding. Pretty nice reward for the job, I have to say, but the Chameleon's actual reward is higher."

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "Oi, it's not nice to-"

"Just had to make sure you weren't just some wimp calling yourself Salamander. That request more or less proved your identity," she breezed, straightening her dark blue halter top.

"Well, how do we know we can trust you?" he crossed his arms, stopping dead on the sidewalk.

Holiander continued a few paces before she realized that he had stopped. She turned, eyeing the dragon slayer warily. "You mean you need proof of who _I_ am?"

"It only seems fair," he nodded childishly.

The mage resisted the urge to head the nearest building. "Listen, Salamander, just go into any of these places and ask. Seriously. Just go into a bar, hotel, heck _the royal castle_, and ask who I am."

"Okay!"

The girl had a moment to wonder why her arm felt like it was being pulled out of its socket, and why the wind was whipping so harshly around her face, before her brain could scramble back into gear. Natsu had grabbed her wrist and was flying down the street towards the nearest joint, a wide grin on his face, Happy in tow.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" she yelped, but to no avail. There was no way she could ever overpower the mage. _Jeez... I really do need to work out. I'm as athletic as a kumquat._

* * *

"Ugh, I still can't decide. White and silver, or blue and silver?" Luna held up two sundresses, her brow furrowed. Lucy looked at both outfits with various expressions of awe. Luna sure knew her stuff. It seemed as though everything in the Crocus Boutique made her clients swoon.

"I like the blue one. Maybe with a pearl necklace, or a simple sterling chain," she offered.

"Thanks again. I'm sorry to have to drag you out and about for my job," Luna smiled apologetically as she hung and white dress back up on the rack. "I'm not really use to taking people out with me, but I haven't seen you in so long..."

"It feels like a lifetime!" Lucy laughed.

It wasn't hard for Lucy to fall into the role of Luna's childhood friend. All she really had to do was keep a conversation going, and Luna would do the rest. She could even ask the simplest questions, as her 'cover' hadn't been around in a few years. It saved the duo a lot of time.

The cashier of the store watched the two with a keen eye as they approached the desk. "Hello again, Luna. Out buying more dresses to alter, eh?" he winked, scanning the item and sliding it into a protective jacket. His dark green hair was trimmed short, albeit his bangs, which hung almost to his chin. He wore a stylish cobalt uniform; his name tage read 'Toshio'.

"I ran out of my preferable fabric at the office. When is the order due in?" asked Luna.

"Three days, ma'am," Toshio replied, sliding the garment across the counter. "Have fun, and it's nice to meet you, Miss Lucy."

"You too, sir," Lucy giggled at the man's slight bow.

* * *

Natsu exploded into the bar, still dragging Holiander, who had pretty much given up any hope of pulling herself loose. The dragon slayer stormed up to the bar, ignoring the looks he received from the saner people around him, and exclaimed, "Hey, do you know this chick?"

The bartender, who was busying himself polishing an already-shimmery mug, took one look at the odd couple before him and said, "Nope."

Holiander facepalmed. "I meant my _name_."

"Oh," Natsu frowned. "Well then do you know anyone called Holiander?"

The glass slipped from the bartender's hand, but the man fumbled for a bit, somehow managing to catch it. "Holiander? As in _the _Holiander?" he spluttered, practically tossing the mug onto the rack behind him.

"Sure," offered the girl, lounging on the bar. Her deep hazel eyes scanned the room, as though daring anyone to contradict her. "And I'll take a caipirinha. Easy on the cachaça. You want anything, Natsu?"

"Wait, _you're _Holiander?" the bartender poked her, as if to assure himself she was real.

"In the flesh," the mage quirked an eyebrow.

"Fire whiskey," Natsu said, then seemed to realize that the bartender was now gawking at Holiander. "Hey, do you know her?"

The man nodded furiously. "I mean, I've heard of her."

"What's all this about Holiander?" grumbled someone from behind them.

"Holiander? You mean the famous bounty hunter?"

"Is she here?"

"You've got to be kidding! Why would Holiander be in Crocus?"

"I heard she's after the Chameleon!"

"The Chameleon? You're joking!"

"No way, man! If Holiander's tracked the Chameleon here, we better head for the hills!"

"You're a bounty hunter?" Natsu cocked his head.

The girl shot him a lazy look. "That's what they call me."

Natsu stared at her for a moment before leaping to his feet. "So you chase bad people and capture them for the royal army?" His eyes practically glowed. "Do you get to fight a lot of people?"

Holiander warily eyed the flames licking the boy's outline. "Only when they get a little feisty."

"In that case, fight me!" he proclaimed, brandishing his fists.

"Wha?!"

"C'mon! You 'n' me!" Natsu grinned, flashing his canines.

"Here? In the bar?" Holiander's eyes were wide.

"Is that Holiander?" The whispers had restarted.

"No way! Is she actually going to fight that boy?"

"They came in together. I thought they were friends."

"Look at the mark on her arm! He's from Fairy Tail!"

Laughter echoed from all around.

"Get 'em, Holiander!"

"Knock that fairy down a few notches!"

"Yeah! Kick his butt!"

_So, I just have to fight the boy who dragged me down the street at ninety miles an hour, whom I couldn't escape. No problem at all. It's just Salamander. How bad could it be? _Holiander took one look at Natsu's wide grin and gulped.

_Ah, crap._

* * *

"Are you sure you can manage all of this?" ogled Lucy, peering down at the long list in Luna's hands.

The girl nodded. "I may have a wedding, but my clients don't like to be kept waiting for any reason. I have to keep up my reputation if I still want to work for Sorcerer Weekly!"

"So you're actually thinking about joining the team?" Lucy asked.

Luna smiled softly as the two of them ambled down the streets, bags in hand. Even during the first few hours of the early morning, the roads were starting to fill with people. All around them, the city was quickly coming to life. Carriages whisked past them along the cobblestone paths, people hustled by them as they called to one another. They were all part of the giant clockwork that ran the heart of the capital.

"They offered me a very nice job, at the least. If I _did _decide to work there, I'd know the majority of the people in the studio. Also, I would be constantly on the move, which is what Akihiro's always wanted," she flushed bashfully at the mention of her fiance. "He's always dreamed of sightseeing Fiore. He even has this book made from pamphlets and fliers with all of the places he wants to visit."

"How romantic," sighed Lucy. Her mind unconsciously flashed back to her guildmates teasing her about getting a boyfriend, but she shoved the memories to the back of her mind.

"I know. He can be so cute sometimes," Luna giggled. "Like this one time, I caught him-"

A loud explosion suddenly knocked the two girls off of their feet, sending bags and all tumbling to the ground. A thunderous roar shook the very earth, following instantly by another loud boom. Lucy coughed as dust rose all around her, clouds of it now rolling down the streets. People screamed and raced around in blind panic, shadows dashing through the dust.

"Luna! Luna, are you okay?" she called.

"I'm fine, but this dress that broke the fall is as good as ruined..." she sounded repressed.

Lucy gasped as a pillar of flames shot high into the sky, barely visible through the light brown atmosphere. The fire, the explosions, the _roar_...

Groaning loudly, the girl palmed her forehead. _Natsu, you IDIOT_, she mentally grumbled. _I should have known..._

"Hey, are you alright?" A hand softly brushed Lucy's shoulder.

"Yeah," she mumbled, getting to her feet.

"Wow. I wonder what that was..." Luna squinted and waved a hand to knock aside the dust, to no avail.

"I know exactly what that was."

"You do?" Luna blinked. "Should we go..?"

"See? Probably."

The celestial spirit mage took off at a jog, Luna struggling to keep up before she dumped their bags under an elevated bin. Despite the haze, Lucy easily found the correct street; the sounds of magical brawling drew her directly to the source.

At the heart of the battlefield, no dust could remain for long. In the center of everything stood two figure, one familiar, one strange. Fire billowed around the taller one, his white scarf flapping in the flames that writhed around his body. The other was a girl, drenched in sweat, teeth clenched, with tables, chairs, and other odds and ends whirling around her to form a protective cyclone. Just behind them were the tattered remains of what looked to be a worn-down bar; the wooden panels looked as they had spontaneously combusted, and then been blown to bit from the inside out. People were cowering behind whatever they could find, or running for their lives past the two duelers in the center of the destruction. At a glance, neither seemed to be winning, but Natsu appeared to have the upper hand.

Despite the intensity of the fight, Lucy charged over to her teammate and slammed her foot into his head with a loud screech of, "Lucy KICK!"

Natsu flew backwards a few meters, twisting in midair to land not-so-gracefully on his feet. "Lucy!" he grinned, completely unfazed about the darkening footprint on the side of his face.

"What on Earthland do you think you're doing?!" she shouted, flailing her arms.

"Doing a job! I'm capturing the Chameleon!" he yelled gleefully.

Lucy's eyes shot to the ragged teenager. The dark cap on her head was crooked, her clothing torn in places and filthy in others. Her golden eyes flitted between Natsu, Luna, and Lucy herself, uncertainty flickering amidst the broken concentration.

_She's the Chameleon?_ Lucy stared for a moment. _As in, Fiore's Most Wanted? The one rumored to have broken into Mercurious? THAT Chameleon? Oh, Natsu... I should have known..._

A devious grin morphed onto the blonde's face as she reached for her pouch. "In that case... Open Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!" The girl's eyes practically popped out of her head at the sight of a large celestial spirit suddenly bearing down on her with his axe.

"You didn't tell me this was a free-for-all!" she shrieked, diving out of the way. The ground shuddered violently under the force of the swing. It crackled loudly as rippled shook the surface.

"Lucy!" Natsu hopped the newly-formed crack in the road and raced over to his friend's side. "What are you doing?"

"Helping you!" she answered loudly over the ruckus.

"You moooove very well!" Taurus shouted, taking another broad swipe at the Chameleon, who vaulted off of a table to escape. The girl tsked loudly and used one hand to turn her army cap back on correctly, the other outstretched before her. The menataur lunged forward, bringing his giant labrys down to cleave the Chameleon, only for the axe to freeze in midair. A giant magic circle was glowing under the Chameleon's feet, a smaller one hidden in the shadow of the weapon. Lucy and Taurus watched in shock as the labrys jerked itself free of its master's hands-

And bopped him on the head with its hilt. Taurus collapsed in a heap before dissolving into thin air, mumbling an apology to Lucy. Taurus' axe disappeared as well.

The celestial spirit mage's eyes narrowed at they locked with the girl's. _No one hurts MY spirits, _she conveyed. The Chameleon was panting now, her weathered halter top drenched in sweat, but she seemed unharmed otherwise. _Magic that delays the inevitable... Hmm..._

"Open Gate of the Ram, Aries!"

Pink fog swirled around the ground as a petite figure slowly emerged from within. "Yes, Miss Lucy?"

"I know you don't like to fight much, but your wool sometimes renders opponents unwilling to fight, right?" At Aries' nod, Lucy pointed towards the girl. "I need you to stop that woman!"

"Stop me?" the Chameleon raised an eyebrow.

"I'll try..." Aries mumbled, turning. Raising her hands in the air, she cried out, "Wool Bomb!" Hot pink fuzz exploded around the Chameleon, who dropped to her knees in an instant, giggling.

"Stop that! That tickles!"

"Nice going, Aries!" Lucy punched her fist in the air.

The spirit smiled shyly. "I'm glad that worked," she whispered before returning to the Spirit World as well.

"Ha! I _can _do it!" Lucy cheered, still exuberant.

"Aww man! C'mon, Luce! I was suppose to fight her myself! Y'know, if you wanted to go, you could have just asked!" Natsu laughed at his partner's antics. Lucy could be so weird sometimes.

Lucy's heart raced at the sight of her teammate. She felt as though she hadn't him, or all of Fairy Tail for that matter, in ages. The mage almost gave the dragon slayer a large hug before she remembered that she was suppose to be mad at him. Lucy humphed and crossed her arms. "Didn't I tell you 'not a cent'? Look what you've done!"

"Oh, that?" Natsu turned to look at the demolished bar. He shrugged. "Druce said he'd pay for all of the damages himself, as long as I caught him."

"Great! Well let's just get her and-" Lucy stopped dead, and then slowly turned to face her teammate. "What did you just say? Him? _HIM? _What do you mean _him?!_"

"The Chameleon. Duh. You're so weird, Lucy."

"You mean she isn't the Chameleon?" the blonde shrieked, pointing towards the girl sprawled on the cobblestone.

"That's Holiander. Of course she's not the Chameleon. She's a bounty hunter and she's helping me find him!" The dragon slayer grinned broadly, as though he were a little boy waiting for praise on finding himself a new friend.

Lucy took a deep breath and moments later, and loud yell of "Lucy KICK!" could be heard all over Fiore.

Somewhere far away in Magnolia, Mirajane looked up from where she had been waiting tables and took a deep breath. "Some people never change..."

* * *

_Ah, Fairy Tail. Your wondrous way will never cease to amaze me, nor to stop feeding my imagination. It's the simple miscommunications, you know?_

_Lucy: I'm more concerned about those six people... Was one of them a cat?_

_Exactomundo! All of my naughty characters are classy, but you needn't worry! ;)_

_Lucy: o.o Joy.  
_


	5. Step Five: Annoy the Royal Army

_First of all, DON'T KILL ME! I'M INNOCENT! Ahem. My sincere apologies for missing last week's update, but I didn't have access to a computer. At all. Seriously, all I had was a 3DS and a Kindle, both of which can surf the web, but FF won't let a mobile device update stories (or maybe it just doesn't like Safari, since my email already had a mini spasm about my choice of browser; it actually told me that I was logging in from a "different location" -_-).__ So I DID try, but all I could do was log in and out. DX Hope this day-early update will make up for it..? -__However, I DID manage to write out a basic sketch for the layout of this chapter, so I hope the structure's a little better than it has been. This third person omniscient stuff is really hard, but hey, gotta practice somehow right? Lucy, do the disclaimer!  
_

_Lucy: KatStorm and all other afflicted parties do not own Fairy Tail, nor any of its respective properties. *puts down note cards*_

_"Afflicted parties"? Well then. ON WITH THE STORY!_

* * *

**Step Five:**  
**Annoy the Royal Army**

If there was ever a time Natsu had thought that Lucy and Erza were sisters, now was that time. The blonde had finally finished her raging, which had taken almost an hour of pure ranting, about how she was perfectly capable on her own without a certain dragon slayer butting in and ruining her job. Now the four of them- Natsu, Lucy, Holiander, and this Luna person- sat in the remains of the bar. Holiander took it upon herself to serve the drinks, seeing as the bartender had taken off sometime during the fight, probably to call the Royal Army. That would really make Lucy's day.

Speaking of, the mage was currently slumped across the seared edges of the wooden bar, mindlessly blowing a strand of hair back from her face. "So you're not really the Chameleon?"

Holiander raised an eyebrow. "No."

Lucy moaned and headed the counter.

"Aww, don't feel bad, Luce! Anyone could have made that mistake!" Natsu clapped her on the back with a toothy grin.

Lucy was two seconds away from planting another kick in the boy's face.

"Of all the people I've been mistaken for, I have to say that the Chameleon is a new one," mused Holiander.

"Is that suppose to make me feel better?" the blonde grumbled.

Luna coughed lightly, rubbing her neck with one hand. The girl's face flushed when she realized that the sound had drawn everyone's eyes to her. "Uh, hi."

Holiander's eyes flashed. "Luna Hughes?" Surprise rang clear in her voice, as though she had never seen Luna until she had coughed.

"Oh, yeah. This is my client. Luna, meet my teammates from Fairy Tail, Natsu Dragneel and Happy. And Holiander."

"Happy!" Natsu whirled around. "Argh! I completely forgot about him!"

The three girls could only watch as the dragon slayer bolted from the smoldering remains of the bar, screaming for his partner at the top of his lungs.

"I can see why you wanted to take on a job by yourself," said Holiander dryly. The author in Lucy couldn't help but to notice the calculating look in the girl's eyes, for better or for worse. Then again, she was suppose to be a bounty hunter, and the best in Fiore at that. Regardless...

"I still can't believe I did something that stupid..." she headed the bar again.

"It's no trouble at all. I have to say, it's been a while since I've had a run-in with a strong a spirit mage as you," Holiander offered a brief smile. "Nice move with the wool and all."

She made to say something else, but a soft thundering from outside drew her attention. Frowning, Holiander leaned over the bar to peer at through the nearest hole in the wall- and rolled her eyes.

"Looks like someone ratted on our little party."

Lucy and Luna took a second to follow suit, and then screamed, "THE ROYAL ARMY?"

"C'mon, Luce!"

Lucy yelped an arm snagged her around the waist and yanked her backwards off of the stool. Natsu flashed his canines as he drug the blonde out of the bar remains, completely ignoring the fact that she was now whaling on him and yelling at the top of her lungs to be put down. Luna, wide-eyed with her heart pounding, bolted after them. Holiander took a moment to chug the remains of her own drink before slipping silently out through the back door. A cry went up from the pursuing army at their heels, something about a kidnapping.

_Deja vu of our first adventure... _Lucy thought dryly as Natsu laughed loudly. At least they hadn't destroyed an entire sea port this time.

* * *

The room was vast with high ceilings, its joists exposed to the quartet sitting within its creamy walls. Soft white carpet covered the floor, a few small rugs throw here and there to accent the vanity and doorways. The queen-sized mattress had been pushed against the far wall and turned on its side to make more room, its dark violet and ruby covers slowly slipping to the floor. Pillows had been shoved in the corner next to the oak dresser, their multicolored tassels blending together to form a dainty rainbow around the pile. The French vanity was made of mahogany and cast iron, dark tendrils of metallic ivy curling around the edges of the mirror and drawers. The shutters of the windows were drawn, the deep scores along the chestnut ridges easily visible through the translucent drapes, which were a faint golden color. All along the wall across the room from the windows were newspaper clippings, black and white photographs, and handwritten notes scribbled on Post It notes stuck all over the place- all of which were immediately covered with a lightweight tarp before anyone could really see anything. There were three doors: the narrow front door through which everyone had just entered, a set of French doors just to the left, leaning out to the neighbor's backyard, and another one that was shut and locked, and bolted (or so said Holiander).

"So this is where you went last night..." Natsu's eyes scanned the room before he dropped to the floor with a bored expression. "I don't like it. It's too... uptight."

"I'm borrowing it from an old acquaintance, so don't try to make it interesting by setting stuff on fire," Holiander shot him a pointed look. The girl strode across the room, yanked a satchel off of her belt, and tossed it on top of the pillows in the corner.

Luna appeared completely at home as she took a seat at the vanity, swiveling the miniature desk chair around to face them. Somehow, Lucy and Luna managed to grab their bags that they had previously dropped. Well, Luna had it easy: she didn't have to snatch them as she was carried under a certain dragon slayer's arm as he ran down the street, cackling like a maniac. The bags themselves were now sitting in the corner between the two doors that led outside.

Lucy glanced around the large room before taking a seat on the floor next to Natsu.

"Pardon my ignorance, but what are we doing here, exactly?" Luna questioned.

"Keeping a low profile until the Royal Army passes," replied Holiander, kicking off her boots and leaping onto the side of the bed with cat-like grace. The mattress wobbled precariously as she shuffled around to lay on her stomach, stretching out lazily and resting her head atop her crossed arms.

Natsu let out an aggravated sigh. Normally, he would just fight off anyone who got in his way, but ever since he was younger, Master Makarov had always told him that the Royal Army wasn't ever, under ANY circumstance, to be fought. They sent expensive bills. The Master wasn't too fond of expensive bills. Thus, Natsu wasn't allowed to pummel them. It still didn't mean that waiting wasn't boring as all get out. On the bright side, wouldn't have to keep his presence a secret from Lucy, though Happy seemed to have gotten lost. Natsu hadn't seen his partner in a while, not since they had first entered the bar. Natsu hadn't been able to sniff him out, either, but he wasn't worried. Happy was probably off somewhere getting himself a fish.

Unlike Natsu, Lucy was feeling better than she had in days. Granted, Natsu and Holiander _had_ just demolished an entire bar (and the street, and the immediate buildings along said street), but the destructiveness was more familiar than the odd formality of her current mission. The mage had no clue how that might affect her job, but she wasn't really looking forward to a getting surprise visit from the Royal Army anytime soon. At least she had her dragon slayer back.

Holiander was bored. Bored and anxious. It wasn't like she'd had to duck officials before (who hadn't?), but something about this latest run-in made her uneasy. Her golden eyes unwillingly flitted to the tarp that she had thrown over the billboard resting against the far wall. If only she could send everyone outside and take another look at her gathered evidence, she might have been able to put a finger on her hunch. For the time being, she would just have to pretend that nothing was bothering her. On a brighter note, the little skirmish had given her plenty of insight on how Natsu fought. She would save her new knowledge for a rainy day.

Oblivious to the others' carousel of pented thoughts, Luna closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, trying to suppress her ever-growing headache. Honestly, she had no clue how normal people could stand to have two eyes. One good blow to the head would make you see double, on top of the odd spinning sensation. You had to practice for hours before you could shoot a basketball straight. You had to close one eye to shoot a gun. Not to mention the occasional times that both eyes refused to focus on the same object, and then you ended up looking drunk. Why anyone would _want _both was completely beyond her. It was nothing but one, big stresser to her. Even though she was only a few days into her job, she was already missing her eye patch.

Before anyone could voice their thoughts, concerns, or anything else to break the silence, there came a firm rapping at the door. All eyes went to Holiander, who raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Just because I said it was a safe house doesn't mean it's hidden from the rest of the public," she pointed out. With a sigh, the girl heaved herself from the side of the bed and ambled around Lucy and Natsu to the front of the room. Jerking the door open, Holiander could only blink as the figure before her gave a sheepish grin.

"Uh, hi. Is Luna Hughes here?"

Holiander nodded wordlessly and shuffled backwards out of the man's ways as he stepped across the threshold. She rubbed her hands on the tail of her halter top, trying to wide away the perspiration that was forming, to no avail.

Dark hair and stubble framed a handsome face housing a kind smile, a toothpick sticking out between the lips. The man was dressed in a simple traveler's cloak, jeans and tennis shoes. Just under the edge of his collar, one could make out the swirling designs of a henna tattoo that stretched up to his jawline. Pale blue eyes swept the room with a curious gaze before landing on Luna, a warm glow filling his sights. "Hey, sweetheart."

A brilliant smile lit up Luna's face as she swept across the room and pulled the man into a tight hug. "Akihiro! What are you doing here?"

Holiander gulped.

Akihiro returned to hug before drawing back. "I heard that the Royal Army was after a group of hooligans who destroyed that bar a few blocks down. Rumor has it that Fairy Tail was involved." Lucy mentally winced. "I knew you were doing some shopping today in that area- I was already nearby- and then I saw you and some other people rushing in here as though someone had lit a fire under you. Are you alright?"

"Of course. I had Lucy and her friends with me. Oh! By the way... Everyone, this is my fiance, Akihiro DiMaggio," Luna turned, beaming, and then began to point everyone out. "This is Natsu, Holiander, and Lucy. Do you remember Lucy?"

Akihiro's eyes trailed over each person in turn, but faltered a little when they reached Lucy. "I can't say that I do. Sorry," he added, scratching the back of his neck.

Luna hit him lightly on the chest. "Of course you do! It's Lucy! You know, my childhood friend that I hadn't seen since I was seventeen! We ran into each other weeks ago before the wedding? I went out to dinner with her a few days ago? The new maid of honor?" prompted Luna with raised eyebrows.

"Oh! You're _that _Lucy! I'm sorry I didn't catch on sooner!" Akihiro flushed modestly. "I mean, it's an honor to meet you, Miss..?"

"Just Lucy. There's no need for formalities," said Lucy.

"And you..." Akihiro's eyes turned towards Holiander. "Is this your house? It's very nice."

The girl's nervousness disappeared as quickly as it had come. "It's a friend's actually. I'm just staying in town for a while," Holiander offered a quirky smile.

"Are you... _that _Holiander? The bounty hunter?"

The girl laughed carelessly. "I wish. I'm no where near strong enough to be that Holiander. I'm just Lucy's little sister."

_Say what? _Lucy restrained herself from giving Holiander a look. _Just what is she playing at?_

"You're sisters?" Akihiro looked taken aback.

Lucy and Holiander nodded. For whatever reasons Holiander had, Lucy figured that it was better to play along for now, and ask questions later.

"Well then, you wouldn't mind if I borrowed my beautiful Luna for a while, would you? We have to discuss a few things with my parents about the big day," Akihiro tucked the giggling girl under his arm. Lucy couldn't help but to wonder if Natsu could possibly learn from a real gentleman. (_See here? You can throw your arm around women, but you can't throw them around like a sack of potatoes. No, not like that. Do it like this-_) The mage was soon lost in fantasies about the gentleness of her own boyfriend, however nonexistent.

"Not at all," Holiander said, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed. "Just have her in by nightfall, would you? I don't really like the sound of all of the crime around here right now. Who knows where these ruffians are..."

The couple nodded vigorously before disappearing outside. Just behind the closed door, Luna's giddy laughter could be heard.

Natsu huffed. "He smells funny."

"Natsu!" Broken out of her daydreams, Lucy snatched up the nearest pillow and bopped him over the head. "Don't say things like that!"

The dragon slayer easily patted it away. "But it's true! I don't like how he smells! It's weird!"

"Now that you mention it, I did seem to get an odd sense of magic coming off of him..." mused Holiander.

"I didn't think Akihiro was a mage," Lucy frowned.

"Me neither. Apparently, he is."

Natsu made a noncommittal noise as his eyes bore into the wooden door, as though trying to see directly through the wood. He took a deep whiff and said, "Yup. Definitely weird."

Lucy facepalmed.


End file.
